What To Do With Morning Sickness

Morning sickness may be normal in pregancy but for the two-thirds of pregnant women who experience the nausea, fatigue and strange food cravings, life can be a living hell.

It's something CBS News Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Kaledin knows about all too well. In her new book, "The Morning Sickness Companion" she has tips on combating it.

Contrary to its name, "morning sickness" can happen at any time of the day. For Kaledin, it usually got worse at the end of a long day at work. Symptoms include nausea, fatigue, powerful food aversions and cravings and overwhelming reactions to smell.

Kaledin says she wrote the book because she could find little information about morning sickness when she was going through it. Read an excerpt.

The good news is that there are steps women can take to ease their symptoms. Here are Kaledin's tips:

Keep Food On Hand - Don't go anywhere without food. If you feel nausea coming on, a lot of times you can beat it back by eating something that you like.

Identify And Avoid Triggers - If your favorite perfume all of a sudden makes you sick to your stomach, stop wearing it. If the smell of meat cooking makes you nauseous, don't cook it or stay out of the kitchen if someone else is. Keep a mental diary of all the things that set you off and then do everything you can to avoid them.

Avoid Stress And Get Rest - Symptoms tend to get worse when you are stressed out or tired. So be good to yourself and take a break if you feel an episode coming on.

Exercise - Exercise gets your blood flowing and it can help take your mind off the nausea. But be sure to discuss any exercise regimen with your doctor.

Forgive Yourself - Pregnancy is a time when women just don't feel like themselves; they feel as if they don't look good and can't do all the things they were able to before getting pregnant. This of course can lead to stress and a flare-up of symptoms.

But remember pregnancy is a temporary condition, even though it may not always feel that way. And just think of the pay-off at the end, a new baby.